baird



- (No Model.) 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

, J. V. BAIRD.

GATE.

Patented Sept. 21, 1886.

WITNESSES I; TZWI zsneets-sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. V. BAIRD.

GATE.

I orneg J.

WITNESSES I UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

JOHN V. BAIRD, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 1\To 349,4.-74, datedSeptember 21, 1886.

Application filed April 13, 1886. Serial No. 198,728.

(No model.)

' .To all, whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN V. BAIRD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gates, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in gates,being designed as an improvement upon the gate for which I receivedLetters Patent December 14, 1880, No. 235,489; and it has for itsobjects, first, to so connect two sliding gates with a crank actuated bythe wheels of a vehicle as that the movement of the crank will begradually ap plied to opening and closing the gates, so as to preventjarring or jerking, and the consequent shattering of the connections;and, second, to provide for actuating the latch, so as to disengage itfrom the gate to which it hooks by the same action which opens thegates.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andon which similar letters of reference indicate the same or correspondingfeatures, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved gate andthe operating mechanism, Fig. 2, a detached view of a portion of themiddle rail of one of the gates, showing the actuating-rod and latch-rodin connection therewith; Fig. 3, views showing the lower gate-rail andthe track in section, and the roller and a side elevation of the roller,the track, and one of the connectingplates; Fig. 4, a view of a portionof the operating-shaft, showing the longer-and shorter pitmen, and Fig.5 a view of one of the gates and the actuating mechanism.

The letter A designates a timber of suitable dimensions embedded in theground, to which are secured the posts 13 and O, the lower ends of whichmay extend into the ground, as seen in dotted lines, and upon thistimber A is suitably secured a metallic track, D, consisting of a barplaced edgewise and secured to the posts B, (one only of which isshown,) and at intervals to the timber by staples E. Also secured to theposts B and O are guide-strips F, preferably of metal. The posts B arefurther provided with bumpers G, each consisting of a bolt having anenlarged head, and fitted lon the actuating-rod gitudinally in a hole inthe post, and having a spiral spring, H, around it, as shown, for thepurpose of arresting the gates when thrown open. One of the gates has alike bumper to ease the coming together.

Each gate may be of any desired pattern, and in this instance theyconsist of uprights I and J, to which are secured suitable longitudinalbeams, K and K and K, to the latter of which are attached metallicplates L, having elongated depressions M formed on the inner facethereof, for the purpose of receiving the spindles ofthe-support-ing-rollers N.

These rollers travel upon the track D, and are grooved so as to ensuretheir remaining on the track. g

The beam K is longitudinally slotted and provided withcorrespondinglyslotted metallic plates O, which afford additionalstrength,

and with spiral springs 1, between which is fitted one end of theactuatingrod Q, which is bent down after passing through the slot, so asto prevent its dislodgment. The function of the springs is to yieldinglyconnect these rods with the gates, so that any quick movement impartedto them in the manner presently to appear will not be positivelycommunicated to the gates, the springs giving to the movements of therods until the inertia of the gates is overcome. This feature is fogndto be of practical importance, as it prevents the undue-destruction orstrain of the several parts, and admits of the gates being heavier andof more substantial character, as the trouble arising in overcoming theinertia is avoided by the presence of the springs. The beams K areprovided also with metallicplates It, secured to them by cars S, andserving the function of guiding the levers, to be presently described,preventing them from unduly swaying laterally.

On one ofthe beams,K,is pi votall y mounted a latch, T, of bell-crankform, the hook end of which is adapted to engage with the post J oft-heopposite gate. Thislatch is connected with a rod, U, which in turnis connected with Q, whereby, when the latter is operated to open thegate, the latch is tipped on its pivot and made to disengage theopposite gate.

The uprights I of the gates are provided .5, the crank of the directionof the arrow with bifurcated brackets V, which embrace the guide-stripsF and act to maintain the vertical'position of the gates, while thelower ends'of the uprights J are provided with feet lV,whieh, when thegates are closed, enter the hasp X, located at the meeting-point of thegates, this being for the purpose of additionally holding the gates inline when in a closed position. i

The letterYdesignates the actuating-levers, consisting, preferably, ofmetallic bars pivotall y mounted in bearings secured to the timber A,and connected at their upper ends with the actuating-rods Q, alreadydescribed. These levers pass through the space between the beams K andthe plates. R, and are guided, as above described. To one of them, belowits pivotal point, is connected a long pitman, Z, while to the other,above its pivotal point, is connected the shorter pitman, Z, and thesepitmen are thus connectedwith a crank of an operatingshaft, a, disposedat right angles to the traveling of the gates, and provided withsections 1), connected with the shaft proper by universal joints 0 ofany approved construction. These joints admit of the shaft proper beinglocated at a' different elevation and out of di rect line with thesections b, as in the case of a hill, where the gate is located. Thesesections 1) are provided with pinions d which mesh with similar pinions,e, mounted upon crankshafts f, having bearings located in the path ofthe vehicle-wheels.

The shafts f have each two cranksone for opening and the other forclosing the gates. \Vhen the wheels ride over the crank f fi going inthe direction of the arrow, as' seen in Fig. shaft a will move in theshown in Fig. 1, and the upper ends of the levers Y will be drawn fromeach other, and through the actuatingrods Q the gates will be opened,the rod U serving to unhook the latch T, in the manner above described.

When the vehicle shall have passed through the opening, and a crankcorresponding to f is actuated by the wheels, the levers will be movedin the reverse brought together.

It is obvious that instead of the two springs Pin each slot, one springmay be used, and the actuating-rod Q passed between the coils of thesame.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1.' The combination, with two gates having supporting-rollers, the trackbelow the fixed posts, and the guiding-strips, to which the gates areslidingly connected, of the pivoted levers having one end flexiblyconnected with the gates through the medium of a spring,theoperating-shaft, and the pitmen connecting its crank with the other endof said levers, and the wheel crank-shaft geared to the operatingshaft.

direction and the gates 2. The combination, with the fixed posts, thetrack, and the guide strips, the gates mounted upon rollers fittedtosaid track and connected to the strips by brackets, and having each aslotted beam, and springs fitted to said slots, of the pivoted levers,the operating-rods connected to the levers and to the gates through saidsprings, the operatingshaft, and the pitmen connecting its crank withthe said levers, and the wheel crank-shaft geared to theoperating-shaft.

.3. The combination,with two gates mounted to open and close from andtoward each other, of a wheel crank-shaft, and an operating-shaft gearedto the wheel-shaft and provided with a crank, andtwo levers respectivelyconnected with the respective gates by a rod, and a spring to form ayielding connection, and two pitmen connecting with the operatingshaftand with the said leversone below and the other above the pivotal pointsof the levers.

4. The combination, with a gate having a slotted beam and a spring orsprings contained within the slot, of a pivoted lever, and anactuating-rod connected to said lever at one end and fitted through saidslot and adapted to work against the said spring or springs at the otherend, whereby the lever through the rod and springs is yieldinglyconnected withv the gate, and operating mechanism to operate the lever.

5. The combination,with two gates mounted to open and close from andtoward each other, of the pivoted levers through a spring, a latchconnected with the actuating-rod, the operating-shaft, the pitmenconnected with one lever above the pivotal point and with the otherbelow the pivotal point, and the wheel crank-shaft geared to the operating-shaft.

6. The combination, with the two gates, a track upon which they aremounted, and connections to sustain them vertically, of the pivotedlevers connected with the gates through a spring, a latch connected withone of said levers, the actuating-shaft, the pitmen connecting its crankwith said lever and the wheel crank-shaft.

7. The combination, with the gate carrying a pivoted latch, and having aslotted beam containing aspiring or springs, of the pivoted lever, theactuating-rod connecting it with the springs, and a rod connecting thelatch with the actuating-rod.

8. The combination, with a sliding gate, of a pivoted lever connectedthereto through a spring, and a pivoted latch carried by the gate andconnected to the lever.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN V. BAIRD. Vitnesses:

CHASE STEWART, A. A. YEA'LMAN.

connected with the'gates

